Die for making thill-couplings



(No ModeL) H. A. MODERMID & W. WILLIAMSON.

DIE FOR MAKING THILL COUPLINGS.

No. 327,702. Patented 001;. 6, 1885.

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N PEYERs Pholo-Liihographor. Washinglon, a. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. MODERMID AND WALTER WVILLIAMSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DIE FOR MAKING THlLL-COUPLINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,702, dated October 6, 1885.

Application filed February 3, 1885. Serial No. 154,838. (No model.)

To LtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY A. MoDERMID and WALTER WILLIAMSON, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaping-Dies for Thill-Irons; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in shaping-dies for the manufacture ofthill-irons; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim. The essential features of so called thill irons are lightness and strength, and it is desirable to furnish them at a small initial cost. Heretofore fiat bars of iron have been bent to conform with the shape of the thill and bolted to the under side of the wood. More recently some attempts have been made to provide a hollow U-shaped iron to wrap around the top and sides of the thill and curved longitudinally, as required. Such devices were usually of cast metal, and were either objectionably heavy, or, if sufficiently light, were too frail for service. We have therefore constructed shaping-dies by which we are enabled to press these thill-irons from sheet metal, preferably sheet'steel, and the result is a light structure, and in every way a de sirable thill-iron, and at a great reduction in the initial cost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of our improved shaping-dies, that are shown slightly separated. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the dies, respectively, on the lines a0 a0 and y y of the lower die and corresponding lines of the upper die, each section showing the dies closed with the metal sheet between them.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the metal sheet bent to conform approximately to the longitudinal curve of the lower die. Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of the thill-iron complete, with the iron for the cross-bar attached, the dies for forming the cross-bar attachment not being included in this invention.

A represents the lower die, provided with lugs A, or other means of attaching the dies to the press. The face of the die is curved longitudinally, as shown, to correspond with the longitudinal curve of the thill. The face of this die has a groove, a, broader at one end and through the central portion, the form of which in eross-sectiou is shown in Fig. 2. Toward the other end the grooves decrease in depth and width, a section near the small end being shown in Fig.3.

B is the upper die, and is secured in any suitable manner to the plunger or cross-head of the press. This die has a tongue, b,curved longitudinally, and of suitable shapeiu crosssection to fit the die A, and when the dies are closed a sufficient space is had between the tongue I) and the groove a to accommodate the metal plate 0. This plate is tapering at one end, and after heating is bent longitudinally to conform approximately to the face of the die A. The plate is laid upon the lower die in such position that the center of the plate lies along over the center of the groove a. The depression of the upper die forces the plate into the groove to and shapes it in the desired form. (See Fig. 5.) The attachment D for the cross-bar is made in other dies at a subsequent operation and is bolted to the part 0, as shown. The plate 0 is quite thin, and is usually of steel, and when bent in the form required, as shown in Fig. 5, is stiff and strong, the eye 0 being welded to the plate at a subsequent operation.

Vhat we claim is Shaping-dies for thill-irons curved longitudinally to correspond with the longitudinal curve of the thill, the one die provided with a groove, and the other die with a corresponding tongue arranged to curve the intervening plate in a U shape in eross-section, varying in depth or width as may be required to fit the thill, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of January, 1885.

HENRY A. MODERMID. \VALTER WILLIAMSON.

Vitnesses:

CHAS. H. DORER, ALBERT E. LYNCH. 

